Actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition and method of forming pattern using the composition

Abstract

According to one embodiment, an actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition includes compound (A) that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, generates acids and resin (B) that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby increase its solubility in an alkali developer. Compound (A) is expressed by general formula (I) below. Resin (B) contains at least one of repeating units of general formula (1) below.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition comprising:
 (A) at least one of compounds of general formula (I) below that when exposed to actinic rays or radiation, generates acids, and   (B) a resin containing at least one of repeating units of general formula (1) below, which resin when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby increase its solubility in an alkali developer,   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which 
         each of X's independently represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group; 
         R 1  represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, a mono- or polycycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an oxoalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group; 
         R 2  is either R 3 O or R 4 R 5 N, in which each of R 3 , R 4  and R 5  independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a mono- or polycycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group, an oxoalkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or a lactone group, provided that when R 2  is R 4 R 5 N, R 4  and R 5  may be bonded to each other to thereby form a ring structure in cooperation with the nitrogen atom to which R 4  and R 5  are bonded; 
         R f  represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom or a fluorinated alkyl group; 
         A is any of groups of formulae below; 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         M +  represents a monovalent cation; and 
         n is an integer of 1 to 10, 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which 
         R 31  represents a hydrogen atom, a fluorine atom, an alkyl group or a fluorinated alkyl group; 
         R 32  represents a methyl group, an ethyl group, an n-propyl group, an isopropyl group, an n-butyl group, an isobutyl group or a sec-butyl group; and 
         R 33  represents an atomic group required to form a monoalicyclic hydrocarbon structure in cooperation with the carbon atom to which R 32  is bonded, provided that in the alicyclic hydrocarbon structure, ring-constituting carbon atoms may be partially replaced by a heteroatom or a heteroatom-containing group. 
       
     
     
         2 . The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to  claim 1 , wherein in general formula (I), M +  is any of sulfonium cations of general formulae (II) and (III) below, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which 
         Y represents any of structures of general formulae (V-1) to (V-3) below, 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         each of n 1  and n 2  independently is 0 or 1; 
         each of X and Z is any of —CH 2 —, —CR 21 ═CR 22 —, —NR 23 —, —S— and —O—, in which each of R 21 , R 22  and R 23  independently represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group or an alkoxy group; 
         R 24  represents a substituted or unsubstituted aryl group; 
         each of R 25  and R 26  independently represents a hydrogen atom, a substituted or unsubstituted alkyl group or a cycloalkyl group, provided that R 25  and R 26  may be connected to each other to thereby form a ring; and 
         (R) n  represents a substituent. 
       
     
     
         3 . The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising (C) any of compounds of general formula (2) below, 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         in which 
         Ra, or each of Ra's independently, represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, provided that when n is 2, two Ra's may be identical to or different from each other, and two Ra's may be bonded to each other to thereby form a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group or a derivative thereof in cooperation with the nitrogen atom to which Ra is bonded; 
         each of Rb's independently represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an aryl group or an aralkyl group, provided that a plurality of Rb's may be bonded to each other to thereby form an alicyclic hydrocarbon group, an aromatic hydrocarbon group, a heterocyclic hydrocarbon group or a derivative of any of these; and 
         n is an integer of 0 to 2, and m is an integer of 1 to 3, provided that n+m=3. 
       
     
     
         4 . The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one photoacid generator other than the compounds (A). 
     
     
         5 . The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the resin (B) further contains at least one repeating unit that when acted on by an acid, is decomposed to thereby realize an increased solubility in an alkali developer, other than the repeating units of general formula (1). 
     
     
         6 . The actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive resin composition according to  claim 1 , further comprising a hydrophobic resin. 
     
     
         7 . An actinic-ray- or radiation-sensitive film comprising the composition according to  claim 1 . 
     
     
         8 . A method of forming a pattern, comprising forming a film comprising the composition according to  claim 1 , exposing the film to actinic rays or radiation, and developing the film having been exposed to actinic rays or radiation. 
     
     
         9 . The pattern forming method according to  claim 8 , wherein the exposure to actinic rays or radiation is performed by ArF liquid-immersion exposure. 
     
     
         10 . A process for manufacturing an electronic device, comprising the pattern forming method according to  claim 8 . 
     
     
         11 . An electronic r device manufactured by the electronic device manufacturing process according to  claim 10 .